Machine for and method of corrugating paper



W. H. COCK May 31, 1960 MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF CORRUGATING PAPERFiled NOV. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INIZENTOR. Mil/14M 1% (can 477elves,

Ulllll 0M3 m wE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. ma w 2H s w @E W M-N nw\@%&@ u L m'fzz W. H. COCK MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF CORRUGATING PAPER Filed NOV.27, 1956 United States Patent F MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF CORRUGATINGPAPER William H. Cock, Hampton, Va., assignor to Arkell Safety BagCompany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 27, 1956,Ser. No. 624,554

Claims. (Cl. 154-30) The present invention relates to machines for andmethods of corrugating paper webs.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved method of the character indicated.

The several features of the invention, whereby these and other objectsmay be attained, will be readily understood from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view, partly diagrammatical of a machine embodyingfeatures of the invention in their preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l withparts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3--3of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2 of amodified machine, the sectional elevation Fig. 5 taken on the line 55 ofFig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view, partly in elevation, takensubstantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is particularly adapted forcorrugating a paper web 2 as the web leaves a crinkling machine whichforms transversely extending crinkles in the web.

Paper webs are usually crinkled when in a moistened condition, and adrum dryer may be employed to dry the web after it leaves the crinklingmachine. The drum dryer may consist of a series of rotating steam-heateddrums 4 over which an endless blanket 5 of canvas successively passeswhich conveys the web from one drum to the other until the web is driedto the desired degree of moisture content which may be about six percentby weight.

My corrugating machine, as shown in the drawings, may utilize the firstdrum 4 of the drum dryer, which may be steam-heated at a temperature of190 F., and may be driven at a speed of 200500 feet per minute, but itwill be apparent that the temperature and speed may be varied to meetdifierent conditions. In the form of machine shown in- Fig. l, thecanvas blanket 5 is omitted from this drum, the blanket starting withthe second drum. A roller 6 is mounted a distance above the first drum 4and parallel therewith. This roller is substantially the same length asthe drum and is provided with grooves 8 that may be spaced apartone-half inch from their centers. Endless belts 10, which may be in theform of coiled springs pass in the grooves 8 and over the drum. Thesesprings may be one-quarter inch in diameter and made of round wire withtheir coils normally closed. The springs should be placed undersufficient tension to cause them to be carried by the drum. The tensionof the springs may be varied by vertically adjusting the position of thegrooved roller 6 with relation to the drum.

A second set of endless belts 12 which, like the belts 10, may be in theform of coiled springs, engage betweenthe'belts This setpassesovergrooved rollers 2,938,568 Patented May 31, 1960 2 14 at opposite sidesof the upper portion of the drum, guide rollers 16, and a grooved roller18 positioned between the guide rollers. These belts are placed undersufficient tension to tend to cause them to firmly engage the drum.

The paper web may be conveyed from the crinkling machine by means of anendless conveyor 20. This crinkled web may have a moisture content ofabout twenty-five-seventy-five percent by weight. As the Web leaves theconveyor, it passes downwardly between the forward converging portion 21of the two sets of belts 10 and 12. As the web is carried about the drumby the belts the outer belts 12 force it over and between the innerbelts 10. The converging portions 21 of the belts gradually anduniformly work the web between the two sets of belts, and between thebelts of the inner set. The smooth round wire cylindrical springsallowing easy slipping of the web to permit this to be accomplishedwithout injuring the paper. This results in uniform rounded corrugationsbeing formed in the web which become set as the web passes from the drumand over the rear grooved roller 14.

To provide maximum depth with relation to width of the corrugations, theouter set of belts 12 should force the web against the drum and againstthe sides of the inner belts 14.

Such pressure of the outer belts 12 on the web may be varied by means ofrubber rollers 24 located adjacent the lower portion of the drum. Theserollers are adjustable to force the outer belts 12 toward the drum invarying degrees. Thus as the web enters between the belts, it isgradually forced by the outer belts 12 between the inner belts 10 andtoward the drum until it reaches the front pressure roller 24 whichplaces the maximum pressure on the outer set of belts.

By suitably spacing the belts of the two sets, and with the belts ofsuitable diameter, the paper is firmly pressed between the belts of thetwo sets, and over the individual belts thereof. This materiallycontributes to the uniform setting of the corrugations. With the beltsspaced one-half inch between centers, it has been found thatsubstantially one-quarter inch belts may be employed with the coilsclosed and about 24 coils to the inch. These coiled springs yield enoughto allow the outer belts and web to be forced between the inner beltsand substantially against the drum. This ensures maximum depth anduniform setting of the corrugations.

The rear pressure roller 24 ensures the two sets of belts remaining incorrugating position from the front roller 24 for a substantial portionof the tavel of the web so as to ensure effective setting of thecorrugations.

As the web approaches the diverging portions 26 of the belts, it isgradually and uniformly separated from the inner belts and drum.

After passing from the rear grooved roller 14, the Web is carried by theblanket '5 over the next drum 4, and successively over the other drumsof the dryer to complete the drying of the web, usually to a normalmoisture content of about six percent.

The form of machine shown in Figs. 4 and 5, like the other form,utilizes the first drum 4 of the drum drier, and also a set of belts 10'that correspond to the belts 19. The belts 19 pass over a grooved roller6' and about the drum in the same manner as the belts '10.

The belts 10' also consist of coiled springs but they may be of somewhatsmaller diameter, such as one-eighth inch, when spaced apartapproximately one-half inch between centers. It will be apparent,however, that the diameter of the belts and their spacing may be varieddepending on the width and depth of the corrugations to be formed, thethickness and nature of the web, etc;

In this form, the usual canvas blanket 6a passes over the'lower' portionof the first drum 4 and the belts The blanket may be guided by a guideroller 28 spaced in front of the upper portion of the drum, and a guideroller 31!. spaced at the rear of the upper portion of the arm, Aroller32guides the blanket 6a to the front guide 'roller '28; '1. e V

/ Adjus'table pressure rubber rollers 34, corresponding to the rollers24, are provided for pressing the blanket against the belts 10'. anddrum 4. The web to be corrugated may be delivered to, the machine on aconveyor 20, corresponding to the conveyor'20. 7 'With this machine; asthe web leaves the conveyor 20 it is carried downwardly between theconverging portions 36 of the blanket 6a and belts 10, in a directionsubstantially tangent to the drum 4.

As'the web approaches the front pressure roller 34, the web is pressedover thebelts 10', and this pressure causes, the belts to be embeddedin, the blanket to form the corrugations (Fig. ,6), the degree ofpressure of the roller on the blanket determining the depth of thecorrugations. 'The canvasblanket may be one-eighth. inch in thicknessand suificiently soft to permit such embedding of the belts and webtherein.

After the web and blanket pass the rear pressure roller 34, they passbetween the diverging portions of the blanket and belts which causes,them to gradually separate from the belts 10. The blanket and corrugatedweb then pass of the first set, said web being able to slip easily as itcontracts laterally between the progressively engaging belts from theroller about the drumin substantially spaced parallel relationship, asecond set of belts, a. plurality of rollers over which the second setof belts pass for guiding individual belts of said second set insubstantially spaced parallel and coextending relationship over-the overthe rear guide roller, from which they pass over the other drums of thedryer.

Thus with both forms of the machine the corrugations are gradually anduniformly made without subjecting the paper 'web to undue strain eitherlongitudinally or laterally, and the operation may be performed at highspeed. Also as the web leaves the first drum, the corrugations areeffectively set and partially dried, and remain set as the web passesover the other drums of the dryer.

In place of the drum. drying means shown, it will be drum, each of saidplurality of rollershaving circumferential grooves for respectivelyreceiving the belts of the second set, the grooves in the latter rollersbeing spaced apart so as to cause the belts to enter the spacesbetweenthe belts of the first set, the two sets of belts being endless coiledsprings of smooth round wire carried by the drum, means for feeding aweb between the two sets of belts to corrugate the. web longitudinally,and means acting upon the 'belts of the second set wherein individualones of such belts and the web are co-instantaneously and progressivelyurged'into interdigitating relationship with the spaced belts of saidfirst set against the outer peripheral surface of said drum, said webbeing able to slip as it contracts laterally between the progressivelyengaging belts during formation of the corrugations.

3. In a machine for corrugating a web of the class de- 7 scribed, arotating dryer drum having a relatively smooth understood that anysuitable drying means may be employed for drying the web after it leavesthe ribbing or corrugating cylinder or drum.

In the case of webs of crinkled paper, thecorrugating is performedwithout materially stretching the paper longitudinally. The material isof cloth-like pliability. The corrugations may provide for eight to tenpercent stretch or even more, and the elasticity thereof is eifectivelyretained when the web is dried, and is particularly adapted for use forwrapping paper, and for the plies of bags where strength, stretchabilityand pliability thereof are desired.

In addition to paper webs both crinkled and flat, of sinmaterialsuch ascloth and plastics, and combinations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for corrugating a web of the class described, a rotatingdryer drum, a roller arranged axially parallel to and spaced from theouter periphery of the drum, a set of belts passing over said roller andthe drum, said belts being spaced apart, two rollers arranged atopposite sides of the drum and spaced a distance therefrom, a second setof belts looped over said rollers with the inner length of theindividualbelts of said second set passing in coextending relationship over thedrum and the belts of the first set, the belts of the second set beingspaced apart and adapted to enter the spaces between the belts of thefirst set and being driven by the drum, and the portions of said innerlengths of the second set of belts adjacent said rollers associated withthe belts being inclined outwardly with relation to the belts of thefirst set, means for delivering a web between said inclined portions ofthe two sets of belts whereby the web is carriedby the belts about thedrum, said belts being coiled springs of smooth round wire, said secondset of belts beingunder tension so as to cause them to be progressivelypressed with the web into the spacesbetween the belts outer periphery, aset of belts of endless coiled springs of smooth round wire passing oversaid drum and carried thereby in parallel spaced relationship, means forpassing a web over said belts anddrum whereby the web is carriedthereby, and movable outer means engaging the web for progressivelypressing the web over said belts and into the spaces between them toform longitudinal corrugations in the web, said web being caused to slipover said belts and laterally contract as it is being progressivelypressed into the belt spaces, said means and web being substantiallycoinstantaneously urged into the spaces between said belts wherein theweb is thus urged against the smooth peripheral drum surface as the webis carried around the drum.

4. A structure according to claim 1 further including means comprisingrollers for engaging the belts of the second set at spaced points topress them towards the drum.

5. The method of corrugating a web of the class described comprisingplacing the web longitudinally between tWo sets of belts of coiledsprings of smooth round Wire carried by a rotating dryer drum having asmooth outer periphery, the individual belts of the two sets beingspaced apart and in parallel relationship, and applying tension to theouter set of bolts to cause the individual belts thereof in coextendinglateral relationship to progressively enter the spaces between thebelts'of the inner set and carry the web therewith to form longitudinalcorrugations in the web as it passes about the drum, wherein the web iscaused to slip upon lateral contraction between the progressivelyengaging belts during formation of the corrugations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.20,970 Rowe et a1. Jan. 3, 1939 793,316 McMillin June 27, 1905 1,548,783Lorenz Aug. 4, 1925 1,716,260 Cannard June 4, 1929 2,182,720 CannardDec. 5 1939 2,285,617 Schwartz ,lune,9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,938,568 May 31, 1960 William H.Cock It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 56, after this" insert first column 2, line 50, for"tavel" read travel Signed and sealed this 22nd day of November 1960.

(SEAL) Atteat:

KARL Hz, AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Uflicer Commissioner ofPatents

